London, Jan 19, 2026, 11:04 GMT — Regular session
- BT.A rose about 1.7%, reaching near 182 pence in mid-morning London trading
- An industry report reveals Openreach has expanded its “stop sell” fibre migration programme by 132 exchanges.
- All eyes are on BT’s trading update scheduled for Feb. 5
BT Group plc shares edged up about 1.7% to 182.05 pence in London by 1104 GMT, recovering after slipping to 178.10 earlier. The stock had ended the previous session at 178.95.
The move came after European stocks fell, triggered by U.S. President Donald Trump’s threat to slap tariffs on European nations if they reject U.S. control over Greenland—a jolt to risk appetite. “This is reintroducing a trade war dynamic that markets had started to price out,” said Kyle Rodda, senior financial market analyst at Capital.com. Reuters
UK telecom investors have been watching the gradual move from copper lines to fibre upgrades. On Monday, ThinkBroadband revealed that Openreach added 132 exchanges to its “stop sell” list, now impacting about 12.5 million properties. James Lilley, Openreach’s Managed Customer Migrations Director, described the stop sell effort as “a vital step in accelerating the UK’s transition to a modern full fibre future.” thinkbroadband
This move is a key piece of a broader strategy to retire the ageing copper-based Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), the analogue system that supports traditional landline calls. Openreach plans to shut down the analogue network by 31 January 2027, pushing most customers to migrate to digital phone services running over the internet.
BT chief executive Allison Kirkby highlighted the fibre upgrade as a key part of a renewed UK-focused strategy, designed to reduce cash flow pressure once the heavy investment phase ends. In November, BT confirmed it is still on course to reach 25 million fibre-enabled premises by December 2026. The company also reaffirmed its target of generating £2 billion in free cash flow by March 2027, despite increasing broadband competition.
Peers crept up too. Vodafone’s stock rose about 1.1%, hitting 101.95 pence by late morning.
The switch doesn’t come easy. Ofcom has emphasized its aim to shield customers from needless disruption or harm as the move to digital landlines unfolds. This means tight rules on emergency calls and protections during power outages—a clear sign that any service glitches or delays could invite sharp regulatory and political attention.
BT is set to release its quarterly update soon. The company’s calendar pins the Q3 FY26 trading update for Feb. 5, followed by an interim dividend payment on Feb. 11. Investors will be watching for details on broadband line trends, fibre rollout progress, and cash flow.
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